ferguson



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

T. FERGUSON.

MACHINE FOR BOTTLING AERATED WATER.

No. 447,508. Patented Mar. 3, 1891. g

I i 4 p M Z I ma Ncnms PETERS co., mam-mum, WASHINGTON, n. c.

2 Sheets$heet 2.

(No Model.)

T. FERGUSON. MACHINE FOR BOTTLING AERATBD WATER.

Patented Mar. 3, 189-1. T

7 IIIIIIIIIIA ing is a specification.

ATENT Prion.

THOMAS FERGUSON, OF ALRERT PAR K, NEAR MELBOURNE, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALFTO EVAN ROWLANDS, OF MELBOURNE, VICTORIA.

MACHINE FOR BOTTLI Ne AERATED WATER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 447,508, dated March 3,1891.

Application filed January l l, 1886. $erial No. 188,565. (No model.)Patented in Victoria June 29, 1885, 110.4,112; in Tasmania December 8,1886, No. 380; in South Australia December 5, 18

85, No. 628; in New Zealand December 10, 1885, No.1,650; in

England January 12, 1886, No. 513; in Cape of Good Hope January 18,1886,1T0. 885, in France January 20,1886, 110,178,658; in BelgiumJanuary 30, 1886, No. 71,713; in New South Wales February 1, 1886,- inIndia March 13, 1886 in Canada Pebruary 16, 1887, No. 26,019; inQueensland November 5, 1887,

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS FERGUSON, bottler, a subject of the Queen ofGreat Britain, residing at Harold Street, Albert Park, near Melbourne,in the British Colony of Victoria, have invented an Improved Machine forBottling Aerated Liquids, (for which patents have been granted abroad asfollows, to wit: in Great Britain, dated January 12, 1886, No. 513; inCanada, dated February 16, 1887, No. 26,019; in France, dated January20, 1886, No. 173,658; in Belgium, dated January 30, 1886, No. 71,713 5in Germany, dated November 30, 1887, No. 41,611; in Queensland, datedNovember 5, 1887, No. 304; in Tasmania, dated December 3, 1885, No. 380;in India Gazette, dated March 13, 1886; in Victoria, dated June 29,1885, No. 1,112; in South Australia, dated December 5, 1885, No. 628; inNew Zealand, dated December 10, 1885, No. 1,650; in Oape'of Good Hope,dated January 18, 1886, No. 335, and in New South Wales, dated February1, 1886,) of which the follow- This invention consistsof an improvedmachine for bottling aerated liquids, such as aerated waters and aeratedwines; but its principal use is in the bottling of aerated waters. Itsmain object is to regulate the quantity or liquid admitted into eachbottle and to insure as far as possible that the pressure in each shallbe the same. It also seeks to accomplish its object without the aid ofskilled labor. At the present time it requires an experienced hand tofill bottles to an approximately even and regular degree, and moreespecially to fill them to approximately the same pressure.- Anunskilled hand is very irregular in his filling, very uncertain anduneven in his pressure, wastes gas, bursts bottles, and perhaps injureshimself or his fellow workmen; but by my machine he cannot fill them toofull or at an irregular pressure, and the danger of losing gas orcausing accidents is reduced to a minimum.

The essential feature of my invention is the arranging of the bottleswhile filling at such 110.304., and in Germany November 30, 1887, No.41,611.

an angle or incline that when they have received a sufficient quantitythe surplus will simply overflow or blow out through a pets sageprovided for the purpose.

A secondary feature of my invention is the so constructing, combining,and arranging the parts that by the simple turning of a handle'the wholeworking of the machine can be effected, save and-except the placing ofthe bottle and the cork in their respective positions-that is to say,that after the bottle and cork have been placed in the machine thepartial rotation of the handle brings the bot- 6o tie up to the fillingposition. The further par- ,tial rotation pumps the sirup and admits theaerated water into the bottle, and at the same time forces the cork intoits first position. Then when the overflow indicates the fulness of thebottle, the further partial rotation of the handle forces the cork intothe bottle and allows of the needful sniff, as it is technically called,either through the overflow-passage or through it and another additionalpassage, as maybe preferred, while a fourth motion, which completes therotation of the handle, releases the bottle and drops it into a suitablereceiver, leaving the machine ready to receive a fresh bottle and cork.

Referring to my drawings, Figure 1 shows a side elevation of my improvedmachine as used for bottling aerated waters, (but without thecork-feeding device shown in Figs. 11 and 12,) and Fig. 2 a plan ofsame, the guard 8c which partially surrounds the bottle being brokenaway in each case. Fig. 2 shows a longitudinal section showing the levelto which the bottle is filled before it overflows. Figs. 3 and 1 show ona larger scale a part sectional plan and an end sectional elevation ofthe bottle-charging cone which I prefer to use and which is shown on asmaller scale in Figs. 1 and 2. Figs. 5, 6,and 7 show, respectively,plan, longitudinal section,and end sectional elevation of another andalternative form of bottle-charging cone which may be used instead ofthat shown in Figs. 3 and 1. Fig. 8 shows a side view, on a largerscale, of

the cam for actuating thebottle-holding mechanism. Fig. 9 is a sideview, also on a larger scale, of the. cam for actuating the lever of thesirup-pump. Fig. 10 is a side View of an 5 alternative method ofarranging the siruppump. Fig. 11 is a side view, and Fig. 12 a frontview, of my cork-feeding device, showinghow it maybe attached to thebottle-charging cone.

I0 A is the bottle held in position for being filled between thecharging-cone B and the recessed shoe or buffer C. The charging-cone 13has abell-mouthed front B screwed into its socket,which has also withinit an india-rubber 15 washer B against which the head of the bottle ispressed. The back of the charging-cone is furnished with a cork-trough Bhaving a hole through its end for the passage of the ram D, which forcesthe cork forward at the proper time.

13 is the sirup-supply passage leading to the cone, and B is acheck-valve.

B is the aeiated-watcr-supply passage leading to the cone, and B is acheck-valve therein, which is kept closed by its spring until it isforced open by a button or stud E, projecting from the ratchet-disk Inthe charging-cone illustrated in Figs. 5, 6, and 7, the pipe leading tothe passage 0 is furnished with a check-valve similar to that shown inFig. 3, so as to regulate the supply to said passage, although saidcheck-valve is not shown in said figures.

B is a snifting or air-relief passage pro- 3 5 vided with a regulatingthumb-valve B and B is the vent or overflow-passage, also furnished witha similar regulating-valve B.

B is the foot-bracket formed on the charging-cone to enable it to besecured to the bracket F of the machine.

The bufier or shoe 0 consists of a metal socket having within it therecessed piece of wood G, against which the end of the bottle rests.This socket is secured to the screwed stem 0 which is supported in oneend of the cross-head C working in the guide-bracket C". The oppositeend of this cross-head has secured to it the rod 0 which is supported atits other end in the guide-bracket C. This rod is forked to receive afriction-rollei OZ against which the cam C keyed upon the spindle G,works. C is another friction-roller, also centered upon said cross-head,and the end of the weighted lever G which is centered upon the verticalstandard H, abuts against it, as shown in Fig. 1.

A is a wire guard of the form shown, secured to the strap A which issecured, as shown, to the frame of the machine.

A is a guideprong secured to the guard so as to guide the bottle to itsposition in the shoe or butter.

The ram D works in the guide-bracket D, and its end is secured in thesliding block D which works in the slide-bracket D This sliding block isconnected by the rod D with the crank-pin D, affixed to thebefore-mentioned ratchet-disk E,which is secured on the inner end of thespindle G. This spindle is supported in the bearings F F, and isprovided at its outer end with the crank-handle E as shown.

E is a pawl centered at E to the frame F. This pawl engages with theteeth of the ratchet-disk, and thus' prevents the spindle rotating inthe wrong direction.

The sirup-pump J is secured to the frame F, and its piston is actuatedby the lever J which is centered upon thepin J The other end of thislever is forked, and is furnished So with a f riction-roller J againstwhich the cam J", keyed upon the spindle G, works.

J is a valve-box of ordinary construction attached to the sirup-pump.

In the alternative method of arranging the S5 sirup-pump (shown in Fig.10) the lever J is arranged under the pump and forces the piston-roddownward, while a coiled spring J compressed between the nut on thespindle and a bracket J attached to the frame, forces the piston upagain to its normal position. Th e vertical standard ll and column H,which support the above mechanism, are secured to one another at theirtop by the tie-rod I1 and their bottom flanges are supported upon and 5bolted to the bed-plate 11, as shown.

In Figs. 11 and 12 I have shown a corkfeeding attachment which may beaffixed to the charging-cone B, above the cork-trough B It consists ofan inclined chute K, widened out at its top and having its frontpartially open to enable the operator to force down the corks K with hisfinger should they get jammed within the chute.

The manner of using my machine is as follows: In the first place, thehandle E is so set that the cam C forces backward the rod with itsattached shoe or buffer C. When this is done, the bottle A is placed inthe guide-prong A between the wooden piece G in the shoe and the washerB in the cone, and the cork K is then placed (or falls from the chute K)into the trough B". The handle E now receives its first partialrotation, which causes the tail of the buffer-cam C to pass over itsfriction-roller C and thus allows the weighted leverC (whose top endbears against the roller 0",) to force forward the crosshead C and sohold the bottle securely in position while it is being filled andcorked. The handle then receives its second partial rotation by whichthe cork K is forced by the ram D into the cone B, the sirup pumped intoand the aerated water admitted into the bottle until it is su tficientlyfull. hen the sirup and aerated water enter the bottle, they drive outthe air through the snifting-passage B and the overflow-passage 13 \Vhenthe bottle is sufficiently full, the overflow-passage begins to spoutand the supply must then be immediately cut-01f. This is accomplished bythe third partial rotation of the handle, which also forces the corkinto the bottle at the same time. A still farther or fourth partialrotation brings the handle to its starting-point, forcing back the shoeor buffer C and allowing the now filled and corked bottle A to drop intoa suitable receiver. The machine is then ready to receive a fresh bottleand cork. The passage 13 by its snifting enables the operator toregulate the supply and pressure to a nicety. The guard A is simply toprotect the operator from being injured by pieces of glass bottle incase of the bottle bursting.

Although I have shown and described two passages B and B from the cone,Ido not think both are absolutely necessary. The overflow-passage B isthe one that is absolutely necessary, as it prevents the bottle beingfilled above the required level, and no matter how long the machine isallowed to remain filling after the overflow begins to spout the bottlewill receive no more, so that if by carelessness or ignorance thefilling should be continued too long nothing occurs but the loss of theaerated liquid. The bottle does not burst because it is not and cannotbe overcharged and the pressure in each bottle is the same under anycircumstances.

If the machine were required to be used for bottling aerated wines orother liquids in bottles of a difierent shape to that shown in mydrawings, it would be needful so to regulate the angle of the machinethat as soon as the bottle was filled to the required level it wouldbegin to spout, otherwise there need be no alteration.

.Having now particularly described and explained the nature of my saidinvention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declarethat what I claim, is-

1. In a bottling-machine, the combination of a bottle-support comprisinga shoe or buffer composed of a metal socket and a recessed wooden blockcarried thereby to receive the bottom of the bottle, a vertical stemsupporting said socket, and a cross-head attached to said stem, a rodattached to said cross-head, cam mechanism connected with and adapted toreciprocate said rod, and the thereto-connected cross-head andbottle-bottom support, a wire bottle-guard, a pronged bottle-guide, anda bottle-charging cone having an overflow-passage therein, and a valvefor controlling the supply to the bottle, substantially as set forth.

2. In a bottling-machine, the combination,

'a ratchet-disk having a stud or studs adaptedas said disk revolves toengage with and open the fluid-supply valves, and devices, as described;for actuating said ratchet-disk.

3. The combination, with the shaft G and buffer or shoe 0, of therecessed block 0' to receive the bottle-bottom, a screwed stem securedto the rear of said block or socket O, cross-head 0 supporting saidstem, a longitudinally-adj ustable guide-bracket, a rod and cammechanism, substantially as described, for reciprocating thebottle-bottom support, and a rod connecting said supporting devices andthe operating mechanism.

4. The combination, with the spindle or shaft G, ahorizontally-adjustable and reciprocating support for the bottle-bottom,a cam keyed upon said spindle to engage with and operate a rod connectedto said bottle-support and having a friction-roller, a weighted leveradapted to hold the reciprocating parts rigid, a handle for actuatingsaid spindle and parts connected therewith, a filling-cone having anelastic washer to receive the bottlehead, valve-guarded overflow andair-relief passages, valve guarded fluid supply passages, arearwardly-extending cork-trough communicating with the rearend of thecone, a ram for forcing the corks to and into the bottle-neck, andmeans, substantially as described, for actuating said ram.

THOMAS FERGUSON.

Witnesses:

EDWARD WArERs, VVAL'IER SMYTHE BAYSTON.

